Inclusive Education in Spain: Developing Characteristics in Madrid, Extremadura and Andalusia

The aim of this work is to analyse and communicate the ‘state of the art’ in inclusive education for the Spanish communities of Madrid, Extremadura and Andalusia, as it is now more than 20 years since inclusive education was first adopted in Spain. The analysis is displayed in a twofold perspective: the basic standards inclusive education is governed by and how it is perceived by the educators who have been applying it. Firstly, the national standards for inclusive education, the specific legislative norms for each community and how these are applied are examined, the key question being: what are the normal standards at present and where do we go from here? Secondly, the results of a questionnaire addressed to the educators, support teachers and other professionals who work in the different centres of the three Spanish communities are analysed. The conclusions derived from this questionnaire aim to address the following: How is the process of inclusive education carried out in Spain?